Lvingstone leading scorer Kyra Crosby, who was reportedly ruled ineligible last week resulting in the Blue Bears forfeiting their record 22-game winning streak, is seeking reinstatement.
Crosby, a senior Alabama transfer, will have to sit for the remainder of the season after the school self-reported that she was ineligible Saturday, wrote a letter to CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams and Livingstone president Jimmy R. Jenkins in appeal of the decision.
“I am a current student-athlete involved in this matter, and who is directly damaged and harmed by the punitive component of the consent decree, including loss of eligibility and nullification of all wins for the 2014-2015 women’s basketball season,” Crosby wrote. “I challenge the manner and means by which the decree was arrived at, including the CIAA’s disregard of and failure to follow NCAA Administrative Bylaws and Enforcement Policies and Procedures, which deprived me of fundamental due process rights.”
Livingstone’s record is now 4-19 after losing to Johnson C. Smith Sunday.
“We rely on our athletics department to be vigilant in making sure our athletics programs comply with NCAA standards, and it is now clear to me that the department did not live up to our expectations,” Jenkins said after the findings.
Associate director of athletics compliance Malcolm Nelson resigned and athletic director Andre Springs was placed on probation for one year as a result of the infraction.
In the letter, Crosby explained that she was unable to complete spring semester classes in her only season at Georgia State because she had to take care of her mother, who attempted suicide while Crosby was still a member of the team.
“I was extremely distraught as my best friend (mother) had decided to leave this earth. I could not bear to move on knowing this so finishing school and/or basketball was a moot point for me at that time,” she said.
Crosby claimed Livingstone should have moved forward filing a waiver which outlined the progress she was making toward a degree. This, she said, would have allowed her to be eligible for the 2014-15 season.
“I, the student-athlete, am being punished for administrative errors where there were clearly other options to get me cleared for eligibility,” Crosby said.
Crosby, who led Livingstone in scoring averaging 14.8 points per game, was “improperly certified” this season, according to the school.
“I have had had an incredible basketball career that has been clouded by some tough life experiences, she said. Please don’t allow my collegiate career to end this tragically.”
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